Hair washing device

ABSTRACT

Hair washing device comprising a helmet (hairdrier), internally of which a perforated grating is provided, a channel full of water and open to the grating moving in contact therewith, and being suitable to spray water over the entire hair mass of a helmet user&#39;&#39;s. The channel is reciprocated by the thrust of water jets alternately issuing from either of two holes on the two sides of the channel: these holes being alternately closed by a swinging lever which is displaced on contacting stationary stop elements.

United States Patent Fava [54] HAIR WASHING DEVICE [72] Inventor: Ernesto Fava, Via Arce, 40, Salerno, ltaly 84100 [22] Filed: Jan. 19, 1972 1211 Appl. No.: 218,934

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 29, 1971 Italy ..19950 A/7l [52] US. Cl. ..l32/9 [51] Int. Cl. ..A45d 19/00 [58] Field of Search ..l32/9, 7, 45; 128/52, 65, 64; 222/96, 81, 510, 541; 401/135, 139; 134/43,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Rudd ..l32/9 [4 1 Sept. 19, 1972 Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-Gregory E. McNeill Attorney-Richard P. Alberi ABSTRACT Hair washing device comprising a helmet (hairdrier), internally of which a perforated grating is provided, a channel full of water and open to the grating moving in contact therewith, and being suitable to spray water over the entire hair mass of a helmet users. The channel is reciprocated by the thrust of water jets alternately issuing from either of two holes on the two sides of the channel: these holes being alternately closed by a swinging lever which is displaced on contacting stationary stop elements.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures HAIR WASHING DEVICE This invention relates to hair washing devices, and more particularly a device for automatically accurately hair washing.

Hair washing apparatus and devices are well known. However, such devices have not met a practical diffusion because of suffering from many disadvantages, firstly among which those consisting of not allowing a good hair washing, of being of a somewhat complicated structure and, as a result, highly expensive and readily liable to failures, and ultimately of the fact that some of these devices cause painful pulls to the hair.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a device for automatically accurately hair washing, which device is of an extremely simple structure, easy maintenance and inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device, by which successivezones for a persons hair and skin can be washed at successive intervals.

These and still other objects are accomplished by a device comprising a helmet (hairdrier) having a seal along its free edge and a water collecting channel which at its lowermost location has a hole to which an outlet tube is connected, the device being characterized in that within said helmet (hairdrier) a shaped mask is secured, a plurality of small holes passing therethrough and extending substantially over the entire top portion and at least partially over the the rear portion of the helmet (hairdrier), in that between said mask and helmet (hairdrier) at least one movable element is provided in the form of an elongated channel which is open on one of its sides and has its free edges positioned closely to the outer surface of the mask, in that said element is freely alternately rotable on a stationary axis relative to the helmet (hairdrier) and is connected to a small tube in turn provided with means for connecting it to a pressure water supply, in that means are provided for reciprocating said channel element within said stationary axis and at the rear lower portion of the helmet (hairdrier) a shaped tube is provided and fitted with a plurality of holes on its surface facing the central helmet (hairdrier) portion, said shaped tube being provided with means for connecting it to a pressure water supply and being carried on a rigid arm rotable about a stationary axis relative to the helmet (hairdrier) and lockable at a fixed position by stop means.

For a better understanding of the structure and features of the device, an embodiment thereof will now be described by mere way of not limiting example, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line 1-1 in FIG. 2 for an embodiment of the device; and

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along line ll-II in FIG. 1 for the same device.

As shown in the drawing, the device comprises a helmet (hairdrier) 1, preferably made of plastic material, which along its free edge is provided with an internally hollow seal 2 (FIG. 1), made of rubber or waterproof soft plastic material which, after a users head has been introduced into the helmet (hairdrier) for hair washing, is inflated by a pump 3, so as to cause said seal to adhere to the users face and neck, preventing the helmet water from issuing.

A collecting channel 4 is provided at the bottom of the helmet and has a hole for connection with an outlet tube 5, through which the water being used for hair washing is evacuated.

By means of holders not shown in the drawing for the sake of simplicity, a shaped mask 6 is secured within said helmet l, a plurality of small holes passing therethrough and being uniformy distributed on the entire top portion and rear portion of the helmet, as clearly shown in the drawing: said mask 6 substantially extends all about that head portion of the hair washing device users where the hair is located, a portion 7 of the mask at the users ears being without said small holes.

Between said mask 6 and helmet 1 a movable element 8 is provided in the form of an arcuated elongated channel which is open along its side facing the mask, the free edges of the channel element being and remaining in contact therewith during the device operation, in 'order to avoid any wears, such as along the free edges of said channel element 8, seals can be arranged, for example of synthetic material, for simplicity not shown in the drawing because of evident provision and structure thereof.

Channel element 8 is rotable on two pins 9 fast with the helment, this channel element being carried by a rigid bracket 10 and a shaped small tube 11 connectable to a pressure water supply by known means not shown in the drawing, and through which the water can be supplied into said channel element.

A hollow lug 12 protrudes from the top middle portion of channel element 8, two small holes 13 and 14 being formed on either side of the channel element, as particularly seen in FIG. 1. A pin is secured on lug 12 and a lever is freely rotably mounted thereon, this lever having an extension 15 projecting to the helmet and two horizontal arms 16 and 17 carrying rubber elements which are positioned above the small holes 13 and 14, respectively. By means of a spring said lever is connected to a spoke 19 secured to lug 12, as particularly seen in FIG. 2.

Due to spring 18 said lever can assume two steady rest positions, at one of which, as shown in FIG. 1, the rubber element carried by arm 17 will close the hole 14, and at the other of which the rubber element carried by arm 16 will close the hole 13, at any times only one of such holes 13 and 14 being closed.

Two stops 20 and 21 are also fast with the helmet, against which the lever extension 15 can strike as the channel element moves. Assuming that the device is at the conditions as shown in FIG. 1 and that slightly pressurized water is supplied through the small tube 11 into the channel element 8, this water is thrown onto the device users hair and skin, passing through the small holes in the shaped mask 6: this water is also ejected through hole 13 and by reaction will therefore transmit to channel element 8 a component force leftward direction, as seen in FIG. 1, thus moving said channel element to the left, or causing it to rotate counter clockwise, as seen in FIG. 1. Thus, the water jets passing through the small holes in. mask 6 will move along with the channel element, providing for washing at successive intervals successive zones of the skin and associated hair.

The leftward movement of the channel element will continue until strikes against stop 21, which causes the lever comprising said extension to swing about its rotation pin, and then carries said lever to the other rest position, where the rubber element carried by arm 16 closes the hole 13, whereas the hole 14 of lug 12 is free, because of arm 17 having raised away therefrom. Similarly as previously stated, it is now evident that the channel element will move clockwise, as seen in FIG. 1, and hair and skin washing will be repeated with water jets moving in opposite direction to the first direction. The clockwise and respectively counter clockwise swinging movement of the channel element will automatically continue as far as pressure water is supplied into said channel element. Then, at the rear lower portion of the helmet, an arcuated shaped tube 22 is provided, this tube being fitted with a plurality of holes 23 on its surface facing the central helmet portion. Tube 22 is supported by pins 9, and is rotable thereabout because of being connected thereto by a rigid bracket 24 and by a shaped small tube 25 which in any known manner is connectable to a pressure water supply which, therefore, can be immersed within said tube 22 to be thrown against the device users skin and hair through the small holes in surface 23. For a most convenient positioning of tube 22, two rigid rods 26 are fast with bracket 24 and small tube 25, these rods extending through arcuate slots 27in the helmet, plates being positioned on said slots to prevent water from issuing therethrough, the free ends of rods 26 being threaded and wing nuts 28 being screwed thereon, by which tube 22 can be clamped at any predetermined position relative to helmet. Preferably, said tube 22 is positioned closely adjacent the neck, below the hair which is passed above said tube.

From the foregoing it will be readily understood that hair washing can by fixedly positioned water jets at the surfaces 23 of tube 22 and by water jets of which the position is continuously varying relatively to the helmet along with the channel element 8.

It is apparent that, instead of providing a single channel element, such as that shown at 8 in the described embodiment, there could be provided two or more such elements arranged one after the other, or each extending only over a portion of mask 6, such elements being also swingable about a single axis, or about separate axes.

It is also evident that, rather than by reaction of water jets issuing from holes 13 and 14, the swinging movement could be given to the channel element(s) by an electric motor or other mechanical means.

It should also be noted that small tubes 11 and 25, respectively, could be supplied with cold water from the water supply, or by operating a usual manually operable cock, or by any known type of mechanical members, such as a timer, hot water can be supplied from a water heater or other water heating element, or

soapy water or water containing other usual type of solutions for hair washing could be supplied.

Ultimately, it should be noted that stops 20 and 21 may be mounted in the helmet not at a single fixed position but, as desired, at a plurality of positions which can be selected before using the hair washing device.

wi lifi r w ashing device comprising a helmet hairdrier having a seal along its free edge and a water collecting channel which at its lowermost location has a hole to which an outlet tube is connected, wherein within said helmet a shaped mask is secured, a plurality of small holes passing therethrough and extending substantially over the entire top portion and at least partially over the rear portion of the helmet, wherein between said mask and helmet at least one movable element is provided in the form of an elongated channel which is open on one of its sides and has its free edges positioned closely adjacent the outer surface of the mask, wherein said element is freely alternately rotable on a stationary axis relative to the helmet and is connected to a small tube in turn provided with means for connecting it to a pressure water supply, wherein means are provided for reciprocating said channel element within said stationary axis and at the rear lower portion of the helmet a shaped tube is provided and fitted with a plurality of holes on its surface facing the central helmet portion, and shaped tube being provided with means for connecting it to a pressure water supply and being carried on a rigid arm rotable about a stationary axis relative to the helmet and lockable at a fixed position by stop means.

2. A hair washing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for reciprocating said channel element comprise at least two holes on either side of the channel element and a lever mounted on a pin carried by the channel element and swingable between two steady rest positions, said lever having at least one extension closing one of the two holes in the channel element and leaving the other hole unobstructed when said lever is at rest position, and closing the other hole of said two holes when said lever is at its other rest position, two stops being fast with the helmet and against which said lever strikes at the end of the channel element travel in one direction and being moved to a rest position other than that it assumed prior to striking against the involved stop.

3. A hair washing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said stops fast with the helmet are movable and lockable at different locations on said helmet.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the axes, about which said channel-shaped element and the rigid supporting arm for said shaped tube are rotable, are coincident with each other.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said seals extending along the free edge of the helmet are internally hollow and inflatable by slightly pressurized air. 

1. A hair washing device comprising a helmet hairdrier having a seal along its free edge and a water collecting channel which at its lowermost location has a hole to which an outlet tube is connected, wherein within said helmet a shaped mask is secured, a plurality of small holes passing therethrough and extending substantially over the entire top portion and at least partially over the rear portion of the helmet, wherein between said mask and helmet at least one movable element is provided in the form of an elongated channel which is open on one of its sides and has its free edges positioned closely adjacent the outer surface of the mask, wherein said element is freely alternately rotable on a stationary axis relative to the helmet and is connected to a small tube in turn provided with means for connecting it to a pressure water supply, wherein means are provided for reciprocating said channel element within said stationary axis and at the rear lower portion of the helmet a shaped tube is provided and fitted with a plurality of holes on its surface facing the central helmet portion, and shaped tube being provided with means for connecting it to a pressure water supply and being carried on a rigid arm rotable about a stationary axiS relative to the helmet and lockable at a fixed position by stop means.
 2. A hair washing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for reciprocating said channel element comprise at least two holes on either side of the channel element and a lever mounted on a pin carried by the channel element and swingable between two steady rest positions, said lever having at least one extension closing one of the two holes in the channel element and leaving the other hole unobstructed when said lever is at rest position, and closing the other hole of said two holes when said lever is at its other rest position, two stops being fast with the helmet and against which said lever strikes at the end of the channel element travel in one direction and being moved to a rest position other than that it assumed prior to striking against the involved stop.
 3. A hair washing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said stops fast with the helmet are movable and lockable at different locations on said helmet.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the axes, about which said channel-shaped element and the rigid supporting arm for said shaped tube are rotable, are coincident with each other.
 5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said seals extending along the free edge of the helmet are internally hollow and inflatable by slightly pressurized air. 